Something we discuss in my history classes is that we see a consistent pattern in US history of rights and liberties being furloughed during times of crisis. Here’s a brief thread of the high points. 1/ https://twitter.com/tomilahren/status/1249726167025942529

During the naval conflict Barbary Pirates, President John Adams signed the Alien and Sedition Acts into law. These made it illegal to criticize the government, resulting in either your imprisonment or removal from the country, depending on your citizenship status. 2/

During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln furloughed the Writ of Habeas Corpus, meaning you could be arrested without charge/trial. Other restrictions too. 3/

During WWI, Supreme Court court case Schenck vs. the US said that advocating for people to avoid the draft was just as bad as yelling fire in a crowded theater. (That’s where this phrase comes from.)They imprisoned him for his free speech. 4/

During WWII, President FDR signed Executive Order 9066, which incarcerated ~120,000 Japanese Americans, without any real cause or evidence, because they were supposedly a national security threat. Supreme Court upheld the ruling. ~2/3 were US citizens. 5/

After 9/11, we saw a bunch of restrictions placed on us, most notably the USA PATRIOT act. Previously the Supreme Court has ruled that the penumbra of amendments 4-6 created a fundamental right to privacy. But that right was subsumed, supposedly, for security. 6/

All that to say, state governments issuing things like stay-at-home orders... they’re just about the least egregious violation of our constitutional rights and liberties we’ve seen during times of crisis. 7/

And none of that is even to mention US treatment of native peoples or enslaved Africans and their descendants, which are two massive cans of worms when it comes to impinged freedoms. 8/

So, in summary. (1) this isn’t surprising given history (2) it isn’t even that big a deal considering other actions (3) unlike other times, this one is DIRECTLY SAVING LIVES. 9/

If you’re complaining about your “freedoms” being limited, you should stop being so selfish, learn a little history, and think about all the people who’ve had much more stripped away from them for you to be in the place you are. 10/10

PS there may be some small errors here, but I stand by the general thrust of all this. I’m typing on my phone because our power is out and didn’t feel like fact checking everything. Besides, I know my students will because they like to bust my chops when they can.